A mechanism for dispensing earplugs is provided, including a container for storing the earplugs, the container having at least one container opening through which the earplugs are dispensed, a shutter assembly located at the container opening, the shutter assembly having at least one shutter opening formed therein, and a funnel member attached to the shutter assembly for guiding dispensed earplugs to an operator. The shutter assembly of the present invention moves to bring the shutter opening into alignment with the container opening thus allowing the earplugs to pass from the earplug container, through the shutter assembly, into the dispensing flange, and to the operator.
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13. An earplug dispenser comprising:
a container for containing earplugs, the container having at least one container opening formed therein; and a dispensing mechanism coupled to the container, the dispensing mechanism having at least one dispensing opening formed therein; wherein the dispensing mechanism is rotatable relative to the container so that the at least one dispensing opening may be rotationally positioned in alignment with the at least one container opening to allow passage of said earplugs from the container through the container opening and through the dispensing opening to an outside of the container.
18. A method of dispensing earplugs from an earplug dispenser, the dispenser including an earplug container for containing the earplugs having a first opening formed therein, a shutter assembly disposed at an exterior of the container having a second opening formed therein, and an impeller coupled with the shutter assembly and extending into an interior of the container, the method comprising:
rotating the shutter assembly outside of the earplug container; stirring the earplugs and guiding the earplugs with the impeller to the first opening; rotationally aligning the second opening with first opening; and passing the earplugs through the aligned first and second openings to the exterior of the earplug container.
1. An earplug dispenser comprising:
a container for storing earplugs at an interior of the container, the container having at least one container opening formed therein through which the earplugs are dispensed to an the container; a shutter assembly located at the exterior of the container proximate the container opening, the shutter assembly having at least one shutter opening formed therein; and a funnel member coupled to the shutter assembly for guiding dispensed earplugs; wherein the shutter assembly is rotationally movable for bringing the shutter opening into alignment with the container opening to allow the earplugs to pass from the interior of the container, through the shutter assembly, and through the funnel member to the exterior.
12. An earplug dispenser comprising:
a container for storing earplugs, the container having at least one container opening formed therein through which the earplugs are dispensed; a shutter assembly located at the container opening, the shutter assembly having at least one shutter opening formed therein; and a funnel member coupled to the shutter assembly for guiding dispensed earplugs; a channel member coupled to the container opening and located between the shutter assembly and the container, the channel member comprising channels formed therein for allowing passage of the earplugs; and an impeller located on the channel member at an inside of the container, the impeller being rotatably attached to the shutter assembly through a through opening formed in the channel member such that rotation of the shutter assembly correspondingly rotates the impeller; wherein the shutter assembly is selectively movable to bring the shutter opening into alignment with the container opening to allow the earplugs to pass from the container, through the shutter assembly, and through the funnel member.
2. The earplug dispenser of
3. The earplug dispenser of
4. The earplug dispenser of
5. The earplug dispenser of
6. The earplug dispenser of
7. The earplug dispenser of
8. The earplug dispenser of
9. The earplug dispenser of
10. The earplug dispenser of
14. The earplug dispenser of
15. The earplug dispenser of
a funnel member for dispensing the earplugs, the funnel member attached to a side of the dispensing mechanism and rotatable therewith; and an impeller attached to an opposite side of the dispensing mechanism and rotatable therewith; wherein the impeller extends into an interior of the container adjacent the container opening such that by rotating the funnel member, the dispensing mechanism and the impeller are correspondingly rotated and the impeller guides the earplugs to the container opening.
16. The earplug dispenser of
17. The earplug dispenser of
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This application claims the benefit of the filing date of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/214,268, filed Jun. 26, 2000, which is incorporated herein in its entirety.
The present invention relates generally to ear protection, and more particularly to a manually operated earplug dispenser.
Disposable earplugs are used in large quantities in manufacturing and industrial operations. Convenient access to earplugs on-site is essential to ensure worker safety and to enhance operating efficiency.
Traditional methods of earplug distribution include providing a large open box of individual earplugs for workers to access as needed. Often, however, workers will inadvertently acquire more earplugs than are necessary when accessing the box by hand. Extra earplugs are commonly discarded about the work space, wasting the earplugs and requiring subsequent clean-up efforts. Additionally, sanitization of the earplugs is jeopardized in such a free-for-all distribution.
In another traditional method of earplug distribution, earplugs are packaged in pairs and placed in large open boxes proximate to manufacturing and industrial sites. Workers may then access the packaged plugs by hand ensuring only two plugs are attained at any one time and preserving the sanitization of the wrapped earplugs. This system of earplug distribution, however, substantially increases the cost of manufacturing the earplugs as now a packaging step is required. Further, wrapped earplugs result in unnecessary waste as the packaging is used only once and then discarded, often on the floor of the workspace, thus requiring subsequent clean up.
Recent advances in earplug distribution methods include utilizing stand alone or wall-mount dispensing mechanisms.
The impeller assembly 16 is traditionally a uniform construction of integrally molded plastics and is designed to manually rotate within the earplug container 16. An operator of the traditional earplug dispenser 10 rotates, by hand, the knob portion 26 thus turning the wheel 20 within the earplug container 14. The impeller openings 22 are intended to catch individual earplugs 18 and traverse them about a base 28 of the earplug container 14 toward a dispensing opening 30 through which the earplugs 18 pass into a hand of the operator.
However, due to the pliable nature of compositions commonly used to manufacture earplugs, rotation of the wheel 20 is often inhibited by the earplugs 18 becoming jammed between edges of the impeller openings 22 and the base 28 of the earplug container 14 as the earplugs 18 are dragged towards the dispensing opening 30. Inhibited rotation of the wheel 20 greatly reduces the overall efficiency of the earplug dispenser 10. Further, such jammed earplugs 18 are compressed under the forces exerted by the rotating wheel 20, thus, decreasing in size and allowing additional earplugs 18 to enter the particular impeller opening 22. This often results in several earplugs 18 being passed through the dispensing opening 30 at a time. The operator of the dispenser 10 generally needs only two earplugs, the excess of which are typically discarded resulting in waste and degrading the efficiency of the earplug dispenser 10.
Further, the traditional earplug dispenser 10 is suitable for allowing the passage of only certain earplugs 18. That is, conventionally, the impeller openings 22 and the dispensing opening 30 are designed so as to provide the passage therethrough of specified earplugs 18 of a particular size and shape. Additionally, the traditional dispenser 10 functions properly only in conjunction with earplugs 18 of a designated material composition. Therefore, the earplug dispenser 10 typically may not be used with earplugs of varying shapes, sizes, and materials, thus reducing the flexibility and overall efficiency of the traditional earplug dispenser 10.
Thus, an earplug dispenser is desired which ensures sanitation of earplugs plugs contained therein while allowing efficient, effective, and consistent distribution of earplugs of a variety of shapes, sizes, and compositions.
According to the present invention, a mechanism for dispensing earplugs is provided. The mechanism generally includes a container for storing the earplugs, a dispensing assembly attached to the container for dispensing the earplugs, and a mounting assembly for releasably retaining the earplug container and the dispensing assembly.
The mounting assembly of the present invention includes a base for supporting the mechanism. A neck is mounted to the base and rises vertically therefrom. The mounting assembly also includes an upper portion mounted to the neck. The upper portion receives and retains the earplug container and the dispensing assembly. The mounting assembly may stand freely upon the base supporting the earplug container and the dispensing assembly thereupon or the mounting assembly may alternatively be mounted to a vertical support by fastening the neck thereto.
The earplug container of the present invention is substantially a storage bin for containing the earplugs and includes an opening through which the earplugs may pass. The earplug container is shaped so as to promote the movement of earplugs toward the opening.
The dispensing assembly is mounted to the earplug container at the container opening. The dispensing assembly allows a selective dispensation of the earplugs from the container.
The dispensing assembly includes a channel plate releasably mounted to the container at the opening. The channel plate includes a plurality of channels formed therein through which the earplugs are dispensed. The channel plate also includes a through opening formed centrally therein.
The dispensing assembly further includes a shutter plate located adjacent the channel plate, opposite the earplug container. The shutter plate includes a shutter opening formed therein.
The dispensing assembly also includes an impeller located within the earplug container adjacent the channel plate. The impeller is attached to the shutter plate through the through hole of the channel plate. In this way, the shutter plate and the impeller may rotate relative to the channel plate selectively bringing the shutter opening into alignment with the channels of the channel plate, thus allow passage of the earplugs therethrough.
Further, the dispensing assembly includes a funnel fixably attached to the shutter plate such that rotation of the funnel correspondingly rotates the shutter plate and the impeller.
An operator of the earplug dispensing mechanism of the present invention rotates, by hand, the funnel of the dispensing mechanism. Such rotation correspondingly rotates the shutter plate and the impeller. The rotation of the impeller within the earplug container stirs the earplugs and settles the earplugs toward the channel plate, prompting the earplugs to enter the channels. Rotation of the shutter plate beneath the channel plate circumferentially moves the shutter opening relative to the channel plate. The shutter opening selectively aligns with the channels thus allowing an earplug located within the respective channel to pass through the shutter opening and into the funnel. The funnel guides the dispensed earplug to the awaiting hand of the operator.
The earplug dispensing mechanism of the present invention allows discrete dispensation of earplugs while maintaining the integrity of the earplugs within the container therefore not requiring the earplugs be packaged in any way, thus eliminating the waste typically associated with the use of packaged earplugs. Further, the earplug dispensing mechanism, as taught herein, prevents against dispensing earplugs in amounts in excess of that required by a particular operator, thus further reducing overall waste and increasing dispensation efficiency. Additionally, the mechanism provided does not cause dragging of the earplugs about the base of the earplug container toward a dispensing opening. In this way, the present invention avoids the frictional forces associated with dragging, thus preventing jamming of the mechanism, hence increasing overall efficiency and usability. Further, due to the novel design of the channels formed within the channel plate, the dispensing assembly of the present invention may accommodate and allow passage therethrough of earplugs of a variety of shapes, sizes, and material compositions.
The above-discussed and other features and advantages of the present invention will be appreciated and understood by those skilled in the art from the following detailed description and drawings.
To Referring to the FIGURES wherein like elements are numbered alike in the several FIGURES:
Iris
Referring to
The neck member 120, as shown in
The upper portion 122 of the mounting assembly 112, as shown in
Now, with reference to
With reference to
The dispensing assembly 114 of
The mounting assembly 114 of
The dispensing assembly 114 further includes an impeller 200 as shown in
Finally, referring to
The assemblage of the dispensing assembly 114 of
The impeller 200 is then attached to the impeller mount 188, locking the channel plate 160 therebetween. The impeller mount 188 is inserted in the hollow interior of the impeller 200. The mounting slots 210 receive the latching arms 192, the catches 194 affixing thereto, thus securing the impeller 200 to the impeller mount 188. The attachment of the impeller 200 and the impeller mount 188 about the channel plate 160 allows the impeller 200 and the shutter plate 180 to rotate, clockwise or counter clockwise, as a single unit relative to the channel plate 160.
Next, to complete the assemblage of the dispensing assembly 114, the funnel member 212 is attached to the shutter plate 180. The mating end 214 of the funnel member 212 is brought proximate the bottom surface 186 of the shutter plate 180. The mating flanges 218 and the latching flanges 220 are inserted into the hollow underside of the shutter plate 180. The latching flanges 220 are received in the latch openings 185 to secure the funnel member 212 to the shutter plate 180. In this way, the funnel member 212, the shutter plate 180, and the impeller 200 float about the channel plate 160 and, thus, may rotate as a single unit Ad relative to the channel plate 160.
The earplug dispenser 100 is assembled, in one embodiment of the present invention, by attaching the earplug container 116 to the dispensing assembly 114 and locating the attached assembly 114 and container 116 within the mounting assembly 112. The mounting of the earplug container 116 with the dispensing assembly 114 is described as follows with reference to
To complete the assemblage of the earplug dispenser 100, the dispensing assembly 114 as attached to the earplug container 116 is generally located within the mounting assembly 112 as now discussed with reference to
The entire earplug dispenser 100, taught herein, may be constructed of disposable materials such as, for example, plastics. Further, the dispenser 100 may be composed of recyclable materials. In this way, when the earplug container 116 due to usage becomes empty of earplugs, the earplug dispenser 100 may be safely disposed or recycled as appropriate. Alternatively, when the container 116 becomes devoid of earplugs, only the dispensing assembly 114 and the attached earplug container 116 may be discarded while the mounting assembly 112 is re-used. Further still, both the mounting assembly 112 and the dispensing assembly 114 as attached to the earplug container 116 may be re-used by simply removing the container 116 from the assembly 114 and refilling the container 116 with a new stock of earplugs.
It will be understood that although the earplug assembly 100 was described herein as including a plurality of inter-attaching parts, the mounting assembly 112, the dispensing assembly 114, and the earplug container 116 may each be single integrally formed molded pieces which are attached to one another to form the dispenser 100. Further, the dispensing assembly 114 and the earplug container 116 may be integrally formed such that disassembly thereof would not be an option, thus making the integral assembly 114/container 116 a disposable unit to be discarded upon depletion of the earplugs stored therein.
The use of the earplug dispenser of the present invention will now be discussed with reference to
The earplug dispenser 100 of the present invention has been described thus far as being manually operable. However, it will be understood that the dispenser 100 may be operated by an alternate means such as, for example, electronically or pneumatically. In one alternate embodiment, the earplug dispenser 100 may include a sensor which detects the operator's hand beneath the funnel member 212 and thus, accordingly, a controller rotates the funnel thus bringing the shutter opening 182 into alignment with the channel 162 and allowing dispensation of an earplug.
The present invention, as taught herein, allows for the dispensing of a controlled number of earplugs thus reducing the waste and inefficiency associated with dispensing is excess earplugs in amounts greater than what is needed by a particular operator. Further, the present invention stores unwrapped individual earplugs for distribution thus eliminating incidental packaging waste associated with commonly used packaged earplugs. Additionally, overall handling of the individual earplugs is greatly reduced thus preserving the integrity of the earplugs prior to dispensation.
The impeller of the present invention does not drag the earplugs about the bottom of the earplug container in attempts to push the earplugs to a dispensing opening as is seen in the prior art described herein above. Instead, the impeller of the present invention simply stirs the earplugs within the container causing the earplugs to settle toward the channel plate where the earplugs ultimately enter the channels as described herein above. In this way, the present invention negates the frictional forces associated with dragging the earplugs about the bottom of the container thereby avoiding the jamming of earplugs between the impeller blades and the container base common in the prior art, thus resulting in a more efficient and a more easily operable earplug dispenser.
Additionally, due to the novel design of the channels formed within the channel plate, the dispensing assembly of the present invention may accommodate and allow passage therethrough of earplugs of a variety of shapes, sizes, and material compositions. Further, it will be noted that the interior surfaces of the earplug dispenser described herein, that is, those surfaces of the dispenser which directly contact the earplugs, may be contoured, textured, or Rio kept smooth to further inhibit dispensation of the earplugs from the container through the dispensing assembly and ultimately to the operator with a high degree of efficiency and exactitude.
While preferred embodiments have been shown and described, various modifications and substitutions may be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, it is to be understood that the present invention has been described by way of illustrations and not limitation.
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Jun 26 2001 | Cabot Safety Intermediate Corporation | (assignment on the face of the patent) | / | |||
Mar 14 2002 | MILLAR, TIMOTHY | Cabot Safety Intermediate Corporation | ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS | 012809 | /0411 | |
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